Weightlifting action continues in Glasgow
The Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow saw continued action in weightlifting, with several athletes making strong attempts in the clean and jerk competition. South Africa’s Anneke Spies-Burger successfully lifted 101kg, while Australia’s Ashley Kolomoisky cleared 100kg before improving to 104kg. Wales’ Catrin Haf Jones achieved a personal best with a 106kg lift.
India’s Bindyarani Devi is yet to make her first clean and jerk attempt, with her declared opening weight set at 113kg, which is currently the highest starting lift in the field. However, Nigeria’s Rafiatu Lawal is anticipated to increase her opening weight before her turn on the platform.
Earlier in the snatch competition, Bindyarani Devi successfully lifted 87kg on her third attempt, matching Pratt’s effort. Bindyarani Devi maintained her lead over Pratt on countback, having registered 85kg as her second-best lift compared to Pratt’s 84kg.
In other weightlifting news, India’s Saikhom Mirabai Chanu secured a gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category. This marks her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, following victories in 2018 and 2022. Her total lift was 190 kg, consisting of 85 kg in the snatch and 105 kg in the clean and jerk. She defeated Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong by a margin of 22 kg, with Nyong winning silver with 168 kg and Malaysia’s Irene Jane Henry taking bronze with 167 kg.
Mirabai Chanu’s performance also set new Commonwealth Games records in the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total. She recovered from a missed opening 82 kg snatch attempt to successfully lift 82 kg on her second attempt, followed by a Games-record 85 kg lift on her third. In the clean and jerk, she missed her opening 105 kg attempt but succeeded on her second attempt to secure the gold medal. Additionally, India’s Rishikanta Singh earned a silver medal in the men’s 60 kg weightlifting event on the same day.
Indian athletes advance in swimming and hurdles
India’s Swatik Patil has qualified for the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9 final after finishing fourth in his heat with a time of 1:15.85. His performance earned him an automatic spot in the final, which is scheduled for 12:02 AM on Tuesday, July 28.
In athletics, Tejas Shirse is optimistic about the men’s 110m hurdles final. The Indian hurdler qualified with a time of 13.76 seconds. His personal best of 13.27 seconds, which is also the national record, suggests he has the potential for a stronger performance. If Shirse can achieve a run close to his best, he could be a strong contender for a medal. His national record time would have been the third-fastest across the heats, while his qualifying mark was the seventh-fastest overall. The final for this event is set for 2:15 AM.
Lawn Bowls campaign concludes for Putul Sonowal
In lawn bowls, India’s Putul Sonowal concluded his campaign in the men’s singles competition. He was defeated 1.5-0.5 by Kenya’s Hamada in his final sectional match. Putul showed resilience in the sixth end, collecting two points to take a 5-4 lead and keeping alive his hopes for a tiebreak.
However, both players faced challenges with accuracy in the decisive seventh end. Despite Putul initially holding an advantage, Hamada’s final delivery finished closest to the jack, resulting in the second set ending 5-5 and securing the match 1.5-0.5. Following this defeat, Putul finished fifth in the standings with two wins and three losses, ending his singles campaign ahead of Hamada.
The 23rd Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026. This marks the second time Glasgow has hosted the event, having previously done so in 2014. The Games feature 10 sports, including six fully integrated Para sports, with approximately 3,000 athletes from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories participating. The Opening Ceremony took place at the OVO Hydro arena on July 23, 2026.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Nair
Sports Reporter
